The Eagle and the Hawk
by ThisSlytherinIsDun
Summary: When a character from Clint's past catches up with him, he tries to handle it on his own. Steve gets caught up in it, and the other Avengers can't find them. Will they both make it out alive? One-shot. Rated T for mentions of torture. Warning: Character Death.


**Hey everyone! I realize that the beginning and the ending are kinda sloppy, but I wanted to post this**

It was twenty days ago that it happened. Twenty days ago that Barney Barton had come back into Clint's life. It was nineteen days ago that he made his actual appearance. Before it had just been through notes.

Eighteen days ago, Clint had been found in his room with an ugly bruise on his face. Because even though Barney was willing to kill Clint, Clint would _not_ hurt Barney. Seventeen days ago, there was a cryptic phone call that relayed a single word. "Beware."

Sixteen days ago, Fury had finally responded to their calls. He sent out a team of agents to track and locate Barney. Fifteen days ago, the Avengers got the response from Fury that Barney was not found.

Fourteen days ago, Clint tried to take things into his own hands, with complete failure. Thirteen days ago, the archer was near to death from the beatings that Barney gave him while he was chained to a wall.

Twelve days ago, one of the Avengers was successful in tracking down Clint's location, but did not tell the others, for he knew that it would only get messier if he did. Eleven days ago, Steve arrived at the location where Clint was being held.

Ten days ago, Steve was fooled into a trap, and was now wearing chains that held him to a wall that was opposite of Clint. Nine days ago, Steve stopped Barney from torturing Clint by taking a beating of his own.

Eight days ago, they were left in confinement, with Barney torturing Clint every day, and occasionally beating Steve.

Seven days ago, the other Avengers were extremely worried, and tried to track down Clint and Steve. Six days ago, they had no success. Five days ago, Natasha looked at the notes from Barney that started all this, looking for a code. Four days ago, she deciphered it.

Three days ago, Tony was able to find the address. Two days ago, a super villain attacked, much to the grievance of the other Avengers, as they _needed_ to rescue Clint and Steve. One day ago, the Avengers boarded Tony's personal jet, setting off to Clint and Steve's location, which was a day and an hour away.

And that was what led to this moment.

Barney walked back into the room, this time with a pistol in his hand. Clint and Steve were both too weak to barely move, much less make an escape, and Barney knew this. He walked over the Steve, and undid his shackles. He then did the same to Clint.

"What're you doing, Barney?" Clint managed to spit out.

"What does it look like? I've had my revenge on you. So now, I'm going to kill you and your friend."

"And how are you gonna do that?"

While Barney was distracted, Steve crawled over to Clint, ready to protect him if need be. Steve was weak, but Clint was much weaker from the numerous beatings that he had endured, which was way more than Steve had been given.

"What do you think this pistol is for, idiot brother?"

"No, no, no. That's not what I meant. I meant-"

Clint was cut off by Barney aiming the gun at him. "Say another word, and you die."

"I thought we just made it clear that I was already gonna die."

Barney's expression darkened. He leveled the gun at Clint's head, and was about to squeeze the trigger. With a burst of adrenaline, Steve jumped in front of Clint, right as Barney fired. Steve fell to the ground, blood seeping out of his body. Clint stumbled backwards, agony tearing through him as he just realized what had happened. The reality of what had happened sank in.

Steve had just been shot for him. Clint's mind raced, and he frantically tried to stop the bleeding. Steve had just been shot for _him_. Clint tore off the bottom of his shirt, wrapping it around the wound. _Steve_ had just been shot for _him._ Clint's ears were ringing, and he couldn't hear what Barney was saying. _Steve_ had just been _shot_ for _him._ Barney grabbed Clint by the hair, but the archer managed to get free, turning his attention back to the Captain that was bleeding out in front of him. _Steve had just been shot for him._

Just then, the Avengers burst through the door. Thor quickly knocked Barney unconscious with his hammer. Tony took one look at Steve, and said, "JARVIS, get an ambulance to our location. Now."

Clint pressed his hands over the bullet wound, frantically trying to stop the bleeding. Tears started trickling down his face, but he didn't care. "Steve, stay with me, come on."

Steve coughed up blood, his life slowly draining. "Steve, come on!" Clint shouted.

"Why?" Clint managed to choke out. "Why would you do that for me? That bullet was for me. Why would you die for me?"

Steve was too weak to answer.

"You shouldn't have done that. I'm not worth it. I'm not worth your life," Clint whispered, frantically trying to stem the flow of blood.

In one last burst of energy, Steve managed to get out, "You _are."_ Steve's breathing became more and more shallow, and soon, his eyes glazed over. His chest rose and fell one last time, and he let out his last, shuddering breath.

"No. No, no, no, _Steve_ ," Clint screamed. The ambulance finally arrived, and a paramedic started taking care of Clint.

"I'm fine," Clint got out. "Take care of him," he demanded, pointing to Steve's body.

"He's dead."

Clint's body was racked with sobs. "He can't- he can't be-" he was unable to finish. exhaustion from the past several days, as well as the severe beatings, caught up with Clint, and he passed out on the way to the hospital.

A day after Steve died, Clint escaped from the hospital, despite the fact that he as nearly dead. Two days after Steve died, Clint was caught in the vents by Bruce, and returned to the hospital. Three days after he died, grief caught up with the other Avengers, and they were hardly as calm as they looked.

Four days after he died, Clint escaped again. Five days after he died, when Clint was found, the Avengers didn't return him to the hospital. Six days after he died, they held a funeral, which was a small affair.

Seven days after he died, the Avengers were so overcome with grief, that it hurt to think. Eight days after he died, Fury tried to assign them a mission. Nine days after he died, Fury ended up getting six death threats.

Ten days after he died, Fury assigned them a therapist. Eleven days after he died, the death threats increased in danger.

Twelve days after he died, Tony went into drinking again, losing himself to the world. Thirteen days after he died, Natasha was missing, a small note left by her stating that she would be back once she had finished grieving.

Fourteen days after he died, Bruce gave up trying to return Tony to soberness, and instead joined him in a drunken daze. Fifteen days after he died, Thor returned to Asgard, needing time away from Midgard.

Sixteen days after he died, Coulson finally sold his trading cards. Seventeen days after he died, Fury's facade slipped, letting everyone know that he was grieving as well.

Eighteen days after he died, Clint was too overcome with guilt to think properly. Nineteen days after he died, Clint blamed himself so much, to the point of breakdown.

Twenty days after he died, the pieces of the Avengers were so scattered, that nothing could put them back up again.

Nothing except the soldier which they needed to glue them back together.

 **Please, please, please review!**


End file.
